World Without End
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Ken Follett has 90 million readers worldwide. The Pillars of the Earth is his bestselling book of all time. Now, eighteen years after the publication of The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett has written the most-anticipated sequel of the year, World Without End.
In 1989 Ken Follett astonished the literary world with The Pillars of the Earth, a sweeping epic novel set in twelfth-century England centered on the building of a cathedral and many of the hundreds of lives it affected. Critics were overwhelmed--"it will hold you, fascinate you, surround you" (Chicago Tribune)--and readers everywhere hoped for a sequel. World Without End takes place in the same town of Kingsbridge, two centuries after the townspeople finished building the exquisite Gothic cathedral that was at the heart of The Pillars of the Earth. The cathedral and the priory are again at the center of a web of love and hate, greed and pride, ambition and revenge, but this sequel stands on its own. This time the men and women of an extraordinary cast of characters find themselves at a crossroad of new ideas--about medicine, commerce, architecture, and justice. In a world where proponents of the old ways fiercely battle those with progressive minds, the intrigue and tension quickly reach a boiling point against the devastating backdrop of the greatest natural disaster ever to strike the human race--the Black Death. Three years in the writing, and nearly eighteen years since its predecessor, World Without End breathes new life into the epic historical novel and once again shows that Ken Follett is a masterful author writing at the top of his craft. Questions for Ken Follett Follett: At first I was a little disappointed that Pillars sold not much better than my previous book. Now I think that was because it was a little different and people were not sure how to take it. As the years went by and it became more and more popular, I felt kind of vindicated. And I was very grateful to readers who spread the news by word of mouth. Amazon.com: Pillars was a departure for you from your very successful modern thrillers, and after writing it you returned to thrillers. Did you think you'd ever come back to the medieval period? What brought you to do so after 18 years? Follett: The main reason was the way people talk to me about Pillars. Some readers say, "It's the best book I've ever read." Others tell me they have read it two or three times. I got to the point where I really had to find out whether I could do that again. Amazon.com: In World Without End you return to Kingsbridge, the same town as the previous book, but two centuries later. What has changed in two hundred years? Follett: In the time of Prior Philip, the monastery was a powerful force for good in medieval society, fostering education and technological advance. Two hundred years later it has become a wealthy and conservative institution that tries to hold back change. This leads to some of the major conflicts in the story. Amazon.com: World Without End features two strong-willed female characters, Caris and Gwenda. What room to maneuver did a medieval English town provide for a woman of ambition? Follett: Medieval people paid lip-service to the idea that women were inferior, but in practice women could be merchants, craftspeople, abbesses, and queens. There were restrictions, but strong women often found ways around them. Amazon.com: When you sit down to imagine yourself into the 14th century, what is the greatest leap of imagination you have to make from our time to theirs? Is there something we can learn from that age that has been lost in our own time? Follett: It's hard to imagine being so dirty. People bathed very rarely, and they must have smelled pretty bad. And what was kissing like in the time before toothpaste was invented? |
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Ken Follett has 90 million readers worldwide. The Pillars of the Earth is his bestselling book of all time. Now, eighteen years after the publication of The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett has written the most-anticipated sequel of the year, World Without End.
In 1989 Ken Follett astonished the literary world with The Pillars of the Earth, a sweeping epic novel set in twelfth-century England centered on the building of a cathedral and many of the hundreds of lives it affected. Critics were overwhelmed--"it will hold you, fascinate you, surround you" (Chicago Tribune)--and readers everywhere hoped for a sequel. World Without End takes place in the same town of Kingsbridge, two centuries after the townspeople finished building the exquisite Gothic cathedral that was at the heart of The Pillars of the Earth. The cathedral and the priory are again at the center of a web of love and hate, greed and pride, ambition and revenge, but this sequel stands on its own. This time the men and women of an extraordinary cast of characters find themselves at a crossroad of new ideas--about medicine, commerce, architecture, and justice. In a world where proponents of the old ways fiercely battle those with progressive minds, the intrigue and tension quickly reach a boiling point against the devastating backdrop of the greatest natural disaster ever to strike the human race--the Black Death. Three years in the writing, and nearly eighteen years since its predecessor, World Without End breathes new life into the epic historical novel and once again shows that Ken Follett is a masterful author writing at the top of his craft. Questions for Ken Follett Follett: At first I was a little disappointed that Pillars sold not much better than my previous book. Now I think that was because it was a little different and people were not sure how to take it. As the years went by and it became more and more popular, I felt kind of vindicated. And I was very grateful to readers who spread the news by word of mouth. Amazon.com: Pillars was a departure for you from your very successful modern thrillers, and after writing it you returned to thrillers. Did you think you'd ever come back to the medieval period? What brought you to do so after 18 years? Follett: The main reason was the way people talk to me about Pillars. Some readers say, "It?s the best book I?ve ever read." Others tell me they have read it two or three times. I got to the point where I really had to find out whether I could do that again. Amazon.com: In World Without End you return to Kingsbridge, the same town as the previous book, but two centuries later. What has changed in two hundred years? Follett: In the time of Prior Philip, the monastery was a powerful force for good in medieval society, fostering education and technological advance. Two hundred years later it has become a wealthy and conservative institution that tries to hold back change. This leads to some of the major conflicts in the story. Amazon.com: World Without End features two strong-willed female characters, Caris and Gwenda. What room to maneuver did a medieval English town provide for a woman of ambition? Follett: Medieval people paid lip-service to the idea that women were inferior, but in practice women could be merchants, craftspeople, abbesses, and queens. There were restrictions, but strong women often found ways around them. Amazon.com: When you sit down to imagine yourself into the 14th century, what is the greatest leap of imagination you have to make from our time to theirs? Is there something we can learn from that age that has been lost in our own time? Follett: It?s hard to imagine being so dirty. People bathed very rarely, and they must have smelled pretty bad. And what was kissing like in the time before toothpaste was invented? |
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| 09-14-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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After reading Pillars of The Earth and enjoying it immensely, I had to buy Mr. Follets second offering. I truly liked how the first book laid flat while reading it. The second book, after a couple hundred pages also has this nice feature, even though it is a hard cover and over 1000 pages.
It is amazing to me that the human race has continued when you read how they only bathed once a year. I felt the dialogue was more current for now than that time. It keeps you interested in how the various characters will survive the latest mishap and what will eventually do them in. A good read all the way. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-22 01:43:33 EST)
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| 09-12-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I have just read about 100 pages and I cannot stop reading... utterly amazing and advisable...
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-14 04:26:33 EST)
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| 09-11-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Received promptly, in great condition, packaged well. Thank you. Am still reading last book bought on Amazon.com.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-14 04:26:33 EST)
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| 09-10-08 | 1 | (NA) |
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Could not read more than one hundred pages. The prose is extremely dull and the plot very dry, very black and white, lack of depth in characters.
My wife loved it. Tore through its substantial pages in three days. I'm not equipped to judge it on my limited (and annoyed) experience with it. No doubt, some will love it. Good for them. It's prose, yes, but it's ugly prose. Like staring at a deformed baby and wishing its mother (author) would have loved it enough to have provided the surgery (revision) necessary before parading it through the city square. Dig it? (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-12 02:52:05 EST)
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| 09-08-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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A two hundred year later sequel to Pillars of the Earth. Entertaining and adventuresome but the Sisyphus approach he uses gets to be a bit predictable--one of the various protagonists ALMOST prevails and then gets knocked down. You always know that the right people will prevail at the end, and they mostly do. The historical angles are great and reflect solid research. If you enjoyed Pillars of the Earth, you'll enjoy this one, too.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-10 01:29:09 EST)
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| 09-07-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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When I read "Pillars of the Earth" a couple of years ago, I immediately ranked it in my all-time top 10 -- a five star. My wife then read POTE and enthusiastically endorsed it, too. So, when "World without End" came out last year, she immediately bought it, finished it within a week and said it was better than POTE. Hmm, I thought. I have finally gotten around to reading WWE and, although it is a delightful story, I didn't find it to be in the same league as POTE.
WWE's major shortcoming is that the Plague -- which doesn't just come around once, but over and over -- wipes out too many characters, both the good and the bad, and therefore eliminates all kinds of potential story development along with it. So, what we're conveniently left with in the end, is that our white-hat lead characters are the only ones left standing. This sort of writing is a little too lackadaisical for me. On a lesser note, what is with Follett's preoccupation with sex? It certainly isn't titillating and, in my opinion, is excessive. Anyone beyond their early 20s has outgrown this stuff. All in all, though, WWE is another very good Follett story that should appeal to both men and women of various ages. By all means, read it. Don't be put off because it isn't five stars. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-10 01:29:09 EST)
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| 09-02-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This was even better than Pillars of the Earth. A gripping tale with well developed characters and plot. It's an interesting look into life in the 14th century.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-07 01:31:59 EST)
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| 08-28-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Listening to this audiobook on a recent 18-hour solo drive, I gained an understanding of what daily life was like in Medieval times through this fascinating story. I was drawn into the lives of the characters to the point that I was anxious to get up early on day two of my trip just so I could find out what was happening. Wonderful story, skillfully told. I will read more Ken Follett in the future.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-03 01:26:17 EST)
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| 08-24-08 | 1 | (NA) |
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I dislike being so very negative, but this book really has no redeeming features and I often found myself wondering if a very inadequate ghost writer had actually penned it. Propelled by all the hype, WWE was chosen as summer reading fare for our book club, else I never would have finished it. Insulting to the reader's intelligence, it is nothing more than a soap opera of the worst kind. Another reviewer suggests that it could have been redeemed had it been subjected to the sharp knife of a good editor. I say forget the sharp knife and use a kitchen mandoline to shred it into julienne strips. The recycling bin is where it belongs. Life too short to subject yourself to this type of shallow, poorly written fare.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-29 07:25:46 EST)
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| 08-22-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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Part of the allure of "Pillars of the Earth", the book that preceded this one, is the originality of it. This one seems like a slightly paler version of the first book. It takes place in the same English town, Kingsbridge, and has dastardly lords, poor but honest peasants, and clergy who jostle for position and power. There is plenty of action, but to me the characters were not as interesting or compelling as the ones in the first book. It was clear that the peasants would be exploited by the upper classes, so I just gritted my teeth and suffered through the cruelties knowing that eventually all would be well. If I had read this book first, I might have had a slightly different opinion of it, but it did seem like a less compelling version of the first one.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-28 01:39:31 EST)
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| 08-20-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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After I read Pillars, I thought to myself, "no I want more," and then I found out, "hey there was more." I think this one might even surpass pillars in the emotional connections the reader makes with the characters. I finished this one in 3 days, KEN FOLLETT GIVE ME MORE!!!!!!!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-28 01:39:31 EST)
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| 08-19-08 | 1 | 0\1 |
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I simply cannot believe that this was written by Ken Follett. Abortion, murder, sodomy, lesbianism- all involving the members of the town's convent and priory as well as its bishop? A nun, who later becomes prioress, who doesn;t believe in God? Who is allowed to simply be released from her vows after ten or so years, after taking them in the first place to prevent being burned as a witch? This same nun has an abortion, and an on again, off again affair with her long time love, has an abortion, refuses to marry him on more than one occasion, but won;t allow him to find a wife of his own? The main character's selfishness is simply appalling, even more so in that she is a religious. What anti Catholic drivel. 21st century "moral" standards transported smack dab into the middle of the 14th century. Plot was completely unbelievable and poorly written. Too much nonsense for this to be considered "historical" fiction. Fiction yes, historical, not in this life. Will not read anything by this author again, and I will now endeavor to unload this garbage on ebay. If unsuccessful at that, will simply relegate it to the trash.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-28 01:39:31 EST)
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| 08-16-08 | 1 | 0\1 |
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I enjoyed Pillars of the earth (POTE) so I got this eagerly.
Pillars had some pretty horrible sex scenes in it, rape, graphic details etc, but the story was good. But World without End is just porn and tedium set in the same universe. Porn, tedium, tragedy x 1111 pages I wish I hadn't read it, I feel its ruined POTE. I don't want to read about how semen tastes, enough already! (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-20 01:16:31 EST)
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| 08-15-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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I started reading the book some weeks ago and I have just reached its half.
The style is a lot like The Pillars of the Earth and, actually, most of the book is. More than a sequel,as they have tried to sell it, it sometimes looks like a 'repetition' of many episodes of the previous book, which in fact has nothing to do with this one--neither the characters nor the story. In any case, I am quite enjoying reading the book and I do really like it, though sometimes the lack of originality is remarkable. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-20 01:16:31 EST)
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| 08-15-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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Having never read Ken Follet before, I was looking forward to reading this book. I have to say however, I was disappointed, it did not live up to what I perceived his writing to be. I thought the story line was interesting enough and appreciated the historical perspective. My main objection to the book is that Ken Follet's dialog was largely unbelievable, given the time period of the novel. His characters seemed to be thinking and verbalizing in more current day vocabulary and jargon. This detracted from the book. While I did finish the book, afterall, I bought it for my Kindle, I would be reluctant to purchase another of his books.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-20 01:16:31 EST)
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| 08-15-08 | 4 | 14\15 |
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I bought this book when it was first released but have hesitated to pick it up both because of its size. I need not have worried: the 1100+ pages took about 11 hours to read and it was a delightful escape into a fictional piece peopled with dastardly villains, noble heroes and good-hearted souls.
While 'Pillars' laid the foundations for `World Without End', this book only felt like a sequel when I regarded Kingsbridge and the cathedral as the central characters instead of the people. Once I did that, the story fell quite neatly into place. This is not a difficult book to read and while historical accuracy can (and should be) questioned, Mr Follett's strength is in recounting the feelings of his characters. Sure, some happenings seem quite contrived to make particular points but basic human needs, wants and reactions have remained similar for millennia. At the beginning of the book, four children (Gwenda, Caris, Merthin and Ralph) witness two men being killed in the forest. The mystery of the killing is only explained towards the end of the novel and yet it casts a long shadow over many of the happenings. We follow the lives of Gwenda, Caris, Merthin and Ralph for a period of 34 years (1327 to 1361). We share their transition from childhood to adulthood: their successes, their failures, their hopes and dreams. Their lives are intertwined with each other, and also with the future and fortunes of Kingsbridge. These are momentous years: the onset of the Black Plague brings enormous social and economic upheaval while war with France (the early part of the Hundred Year War) provided opportunities for some. If you finished `Pillars' wondering about the future, and you are happy to revisit Kingsbridge 200 years later, this novel will take you there. Jennifer Cameron-Smith (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-20 01:16:31 EST)
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| 08-14-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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A grand follow-up to Pillars of the Earth (but a "stand alone" as well). A joy to read, but horribly heavy to hold up in hardback.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-16 01:19:09 EST)
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| 08-13-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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World Without End has all the elements of a great soap opera. There was never a point when I wasn't eager to know what would happen next.
There is love, envy, brutality, ruthlessness, greed, deviousness, selflessness and even a plague. If this is not enough for you, there's also murder, rape, kidnapping, and a mystery. Surprisingly, the plot has everything except incest For me, WWE is more interesting than Pillars of the Earth in that it is a close examination of the human aspects of the time, focusing on the customs and the ways people of different rank related to each other. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-16 00:51:16 EST)
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| 08-12-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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World Without End was extremely engaging. It was entertaining and took me through a wide range of emotions. Ken Follet masterfully takes readers into the psychological make up of his characters. This includes the heros that you love and the trouble makers/villians that frustrate. The book was also historically informative. I loved how the author gave insight and perspective to a very truamatic episode in history.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-15 01:17:59 EST)
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| 08-08-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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This book is enjoyable as an addendum to _Pillars of the Earth_, but could not possibly stand alone on its own. The entire plot of _Pillars_ is laboriously rehashed, element by element, and virtually every main character from this book has a direct _Pillars_ equivalent. Worst of all, we are often lamely reminded of the characters' direct descent from the _Pillars_ characters, in cheap romance-novel fashion.
*SPOILER ALERT* How bad are the similarities? Well, put it this way: There's a character, Ralph, who is an amalgamation of William Hamleigh and Richard from _Pillars_, and he even organizes the forest's outlaws (just as Richard did). Other complete knockoffs: Merthin = Jack Builder (down to the red hair) Caris = Aliena (her and Merthin are even kept apart in near-identicle fashion, including Merthin's travel abroad) Wulfric = Tom Builder Gwenda = Ellen (though this is less so) And on and on and on. On the positive side, this book makes an even stronger case for laissez-faire classical liberalism in not-so-subtle examples. This is particularly curious since Follett is a member of the Labour Party, which is socialist, not libertarian-capitalist, in orientation. But it's almost as if Ayn Rand set up some of these plot twists that show the fallibility of central planning and the blessings of economic freedom. I enjoyed the story, but God, it was long. The end was anything but satisfying. The plot is essentially a succession of events, and the conclusion is anticlimactic. Overall, I think this book was just a way for Follett to make another few million bucks, and in no way approaches the artistry of _Pillars_. Buyer beware. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-13 01:14:02 EST)
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| 08-07-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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A great read. My book club read "Pillars of Society," and I loved it, but didn't know about this sequel...a wonderful surprise. Ken Follett is amazing. This book offers a great escape to a different time and way of life....but is it really that different than today?? I highly recommend this book to everyone.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-08 01:16:40 EST)
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| 08-07-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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A great read. My book club read "Pillars of Society," and I loved it, but didn't know about this sequel...a wonderful surprise. Ken Follett is amazing. This book offers a great escape to a different time and way of life....but is it really that different than today?? I highly recommend this book to everyone.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-13 01:14:02 EST)
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| 07-27-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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I truly enjoyed this book! If you like historical fiction this is a perfect book for you.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-08 01:16:40 EST)
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| 07-27-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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A sequel of sorts to The Pillars of The Earth takes place two hundred years later. The descendents of some of the original characters are present and fun to find. The story reads the same. Like you can't put it down even though it is a lot of pages. All the better, because it makes it last! I enjoyed the descriptions of the food thay ate, the clothes they wore, living conditions etc, etc.
Now I am waiting for another sequel. There is a lot of English history to write about. Mr. Follett could really make it interesting. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-08 01:16:40 EST)
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| 07-24-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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The novel does not match the intensity and compelling storyline of PotE, but is still a damn good summer read. I had to make a chart of characters as I went along, until I finally became familiar with them. There is a complete chart on Follett's website: http://www.ken-follett.com/wwe/characters.html I recommend printing this and using it as a bookmark. It will facilitate reading. Enjoy.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-28 01:14:55 EST)
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| 07-22-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Slow at first. I made the big mistake of try to read it as I was still reading The Pillars or to try to go back an associate everything with it but once you give it it's own space it is very entretaining.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-28 01:14:55 EST)
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| 07-22-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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This book made a great summer read! I found myself picking it up every chance I got because I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. There are many stories and characters (100's) intricately woven together. I imagine that if soap operas had existed in the middle ages, the storylines would have been similar. However, if you are looking for deep reading, World is not it. Despite the book's long length, this is very light, easy reading. For me, the most interesting parts of the book were the ones dealing with the plague and how it changed medieval society. One thing that sets this book apart from other historical novels I've read is that it deals with everyday people rather than royalty and the nobility. The main characters are Merthin and Ralph, brothers whose father is a former knight now reduced to poverty, Gwenda, a girl born into utter poverty who manages to survive anyway, and Caris, the daughter of a wealthy merchant.
Many readers have criticized the amount of "gratuitous" sex in the book. There are, at times, a good bit, but no more than one finds on T.V. these days. Also, I would hardly call the sex scenes explicit, but so badly written that they are almost comical. They seem to have been written from a adolescent male's point of view. Many other criticisms were from people who did not even finish the book. I don't think it is fair to write a crtical review of a book you did not bother to finish. If they had hung in there, they would have found that there as an explanation for everything that happened. While I enjoyed this book a great deal, I gave it 4 stars because I felt that it was poorly edited. There was too much repetition in the book. For example, Philemon and Godwyn were described as being "obsequious" at least ten times making me wonder why someone didn't pick up a thesaurus. One also gets tired of reading about how plump Madge Webber is, that Gwenda looks like a rodent and other repititious physical descriptions of the many characters. One other complaint I have is that the Catholic Church is portrayed as being corrupt. While there was quite a bit of corruption in the church at that time, they were not all bad and I wish there had been a few pious church leaders portrayed in the book to balance out the bad leaders. If you are looking for a light read that will keep you hooked I think you will enjoy this book. I hope Mr. Follett will write another sequel. I would love to find out how Kingsbridge Priory survives Henry VIII and the Protestant Reformation. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-28 01:14:55 EST)
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| 07-18-08 | 5 | 0\1 |
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This was one of the best books I have read in a while. It was even better than Pillars of the Earth. I recommend that anyone who reads the book should read Pillars of the Earth first in order for World Without End to make sense, because in the book they make references to people in the Pillars of the Earth. It will keep you up at night wondering what is going to happen next.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-23 06:45:49 EST)
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| 07-17-08 | 2 | 1\1 |
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I began this book with guarded enthusiasm. I enjoy the history of this time period. The author takes time to lay out a pretty well thought out story line (although predictable) and it appears to be fairly factual. My beef however is that he took what could have been a good novel and turned it into a well written porn story. The author writes with such vivid detail in the novels sexual escapades that it dwarfs the competition. The sexual innuendo's are also rampant within the book.
It also appears that the author has very little if any regard for the church at all. The church portrayed is completely corrupt and self serving. While it is true that there was a good deal of corruption in the church during this time period, much of the church was also maintained by believers who were sincere and upright. Bottom line if you like porn with a good but predictable story read this book, otherwise don't waste your time. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-23 06:45:49 EST)
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| 07-17-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Only if I could write a review that would do justice to Ken Follett's World without end... It is another historical classic just like Pillars of the Earth. Very enjoyable!!!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-23 06:45:49 EST)
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| 07-13-08 | 1 | 2\2 |
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I came as far as 400 pages and then I stopped reading the book. It was just to similar to POTE. What was most annoying though were the frequent sexual references in the book. It appears that Follett's imagination of the middle ages is that everybody was horny and just continuously looking for sexual gratification. The other annoying item was the authors obvious dislike of the Christian religion. Pretty much every stereotype was checked off: Gay priests/monks, lesbian nuns, womanizing bishops, ignorant church people. You even get a feminist 'hero' who performs an abortion on herself. The book was gripping for a while but after some time the storyline became boring. Building a cathedral is just so much more interesting than building a bridge. Anyway, I regret having bought the book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-17 06:53:28 EST)
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| 07-09-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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A great sequel to "Pillars." Follett creates such endearing characters and vivid settings-he successfully transforms the reader to another time.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-15 02:50:55 EST)
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| 07-07-08 | 5 | 0\1 |
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Phenomenal book. My husband and I read this book and Pillars of the Earth, respectively, then switched. We loved both!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-10 17:34:04 EST)
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| 07-07-08 | 4 | 1\1 |
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I liked the book. And I'd give it a full five stars and gush more about it if it didn't seem almost as if a template was lifted from "Pillars of the Earth" and dropped over Kingsbridge two hundred years later. Still, I enjoyed it enough to read it in just a few days.
My chief complaint--as others have noted--is that he sometimes uses modern day slang when accepted English would have done just as well and been much less jarring. It stunned me that such an experienced writer would do this. Stunned me even more that it would get past a good editor. My other criticism is that he wrapped things up very abruptly. Almost as if mom had shouted into his room, "Ken, dinner in fifteen minutes--you need to finish what you're doing." If nothing else, I enjoyed it more than I would have enjoyed picking up "Pillars of the Earth" and reading it a fourth time. All criticisms aside, it's a good book and I'm glad I read it. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-10 17:34:04 EST)
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| 07-06-08 | 2 | 2\2 |
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I read Pillars and like the story a lot. I read the reviews of World Without End and decided not to buy it but I rented it from the library. About 300 pages in I stopped reading it. The story is the same; the young plucky heroine, the smart young builder, etc. Instead of the building of a cathedral they have to build a bridge (they encounter the same problems). The characters were shallow and there was no great villain. If you really liked Pillars, read it again, don't buy this book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-10 17:34:04 EST)
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| 07-06-08 | 2 | 1\1 |
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Ken Follett's follow-up to the vastly overrated Pillars of the Earth offers nothing new, save the historical events of the Black Death and the Hundred Years War. As in Pillars, his characters are one dimensional; the good are always good, the evil always evil. The plot itself is little more than a far-fetched soap opera recycled from POTE. In addition, I was greatly annoyed at Follett's very unsubtle foreshadowing and constant repetitions to remind his audience of how characters are connected or of various plot points earlier in the book. There are much better examples of medieval historical fiction available, so there is little reason to slog through the almost 1000 pages of trite fiction of this book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-10 17:34:04 EST)
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| 07-06-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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Just finally finished the Kindle version. Enjoyable but it was a bit repetitive in some areas. Not to give away any elements of the plot but it seemed that a couple of the plot lines would get somewhat resolved, the story would move on to something new and then return to the same former thing. Nothing new the second go-around, just more of the same drama. Weird.
The characters are compelling and believable although in a few areas I thought Follett interjected 21st Century values into his story in an attempt to make the characters more heroic. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-10 17:34:04 EST)
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| 07-05-08 | 3 | 1\1 |
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I read The Pillars of the Earth and am now plowing through World Without End. Gritty, earthy and raw, these books depict the town of Kingsbridge, England during two medieval periods. Follett is a master at depicting the brutal and desperate lifestyles of all echelons of society during the Middle Ages through compelling characters and thorough research, but these are not for the faint of heart. Both the length of the books and the gory details could be a little off-putting to some readers, but overall, the triumph of the human spirit shines through.
I was so looking forward to reading World Without End and so hoping that Follett would have grown as an author in the almost two decades since The Pillars of the Earth. I am disappointed. Again, compelling characters and thorough research are the stars of this book, but alas, the same weaknesses as before -- slippages of language where medieval characters sound startlingly modern and historical anomalies that just don't fit. These, as always, are forgivable when the tale is well-spun and the characters well-crafted. As before, my biggest complaint with WWE is the graphic sexual content that just doesn't fit and is totally unnecessary. I get that the Middle Ages were brutal. There was little privacy and the entire cycle of life from birth to death was lived out in almost animal-like desperation except for the privileged few. This is compelling enough fodder without having to show to the minutest detail every rape, pillage and plunder in all its fantastical gore. We get it, Mr. Follett. The Bad Guys were really, really bad. The lesbian nun sub-plot too, was contrived and unbelievable. Without giving too much away, the details of lesbian intimacies were unnecessary and could have been depicted in a much more tactful manner than the clumsy, guy/boorish way that Follett chose. Again, titillating tripe. I wrote this for POTE and the same is true for WWE, the gratuitous sex is just garbage, but the main characters are so compelling and enjoyable that you want to spend the 1000 pages with them and will think about their lives long after you have closed the book. It's just such a shame that Follett had to sully up a great book with smut. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-07 07:55:14 EST)
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| 07-04-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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WWE has basically the same plot as POTE. Some obvious similarities:
Jack-Merthin Lady Aliena-Philippa William Hamleigh-Ralph Fitzgerald The list goes on. This book is repetitous and has the same pattern as POTE, good versus evil with a lot of architectural jargon thrown in. I loved Pillars abut soon tired of WWE. Follett is a gifted writer. He deserves to write a book about a subject that fascinates him. It was just too much for this reader. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-06 22:13:40 EST)
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| 07-03-08 | 2 | 2\3 |
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When I came across Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" I was very intrigued to see a historical fiction receiving the praise it did and continually gaining such popularity over the years. It's a historical fiction after all--those aren't supposed to be popular! It struck me after reading this book--"World Without End" is emblematic of his works--as to why his historical fictions maintain such popularity. The reason is that they aren't historical fictions.
They certainly take place in historical settings and probably contain many elements of what happened during the time period he writes about (the High Medieval), but those historical elements are only there in order to dress up the elements that modern dramas thrive on (i.e. sex and violence). With so much lurid sex and sensational violence, it is no wonder why these books are so popular--they fit right in with the other popular books and tv shows and movies of the day--The Tudors is an example of another titillating historical that isn't historical. Who can resist the fascination? All the sex and violence we want and the facade of a significant history to validate it all! The problem is not necessarily that sex and violence did not occur during the time period described. Indeed, it probably did take place to a great degree. But it is not a historical fiction if the sex and violence are the main elements in the story. A historical fiction must have as its overriding theme the ideas and mood of the past time. In the High Medieval period, the ideas and mood of the time was highly spiritual, devout, pious and decidedly nonsexual and nonviolent. You can't write about the period without fully believing in and bowing to the period's beliefs. Follett indulges his own beliefs. Look at the art and poetry of the time period to gain a better idea of how it was like then, and read Monaco: A Novel for a good recently-written historical fiction the way it should be recited. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-06 22:13:40 EST)
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| 07-02-08 | 3 | 0\1 |
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When a novelist resorts to a green-eyed heroine, I know I'm in for a pretty hackneyed novel -- it's the cheapest shortcut to "exotique." It only took a few pages for me to discover that I was right. On the good side, this saved me from reading hundreds of other stale, hackneyed, predictable pages.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-04 18:48:33 EST)
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| 07-01-08 | 1 | 0\1 |
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There was so much about this book that was implausible, one has to believe Follett was being paid by the word. So much dialogue and so little said! I was very disappointed since I have been a fan of Follett for many years, beginning with Eye of the Needle. Age has softened him I guess--even the rape scenes in WWE seemed like walks in the park and the victims got up and walked away with little or no physical damage! Follett should have talked to a couple rape victims before he wrote these passages. Descriptions of the Black Death have been done much better in other books. Could never recommend this as a good read--I was so bored I couldn't even finish it.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-04 04:22:08 EST)
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| 06-27-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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I am a Ken Follett fan. I enjoyed his previous book in this series entitled "Pillars of the Earth." One thing I really enjoy about this book is the descriptions of life in early England. A second is the unusual underlying theme-construction of early English cathedrals. It is obvious that the author has done a ton of research. The big disappointments are the multiple number of plots and the huge cast of characters that, at times, seems to number in the thousands. About mid-book, you realize you may need a guide or program to remember who they are and how they fit in the story.
It is a great book that suffers from too little editing; reducing the number of pages by 200-300 would improve it immensely. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-30 05:32:51 EST)
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| 06-25-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I was thrilled to find that there was a sequel to one of my favorite books - The Pillars of the Earth - but I wondered if it would be possible for Follett to produce another book with the same epic scale. Thankfully, he was.
Fair warning though - if you were not satisfied with how many times the "good" characters of Pillars were brought down, you will especially hate World. To me, it seemed that there were even more times when I just wanted to scream in frustration and remorse for the main characters, and there just was never enough retribution against the "bad" characters to make things seemed evened out by the end. Of course, this is part of the realism of the book that makes it all the better. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-27 01:45:27 EST)
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| 06-25-08 | 1 | (NA) |
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This book is mis-titled. It should be "Book Without End". This book is utterly tedious. The characters are predictable, dull and unremarkable, from the utterly unredeemably wicked and cruel knight, to the patiently and remarkably perceptive builder. Who really cares about the ultimate longing and un-requited love story of the nun and builder? They are, oh, so saintly. There is very little real historical value, just page after page of one trite, little episode after another.
I awaited this book with anticipation...such a mistake. And such an unworthy follow-up to "The Pillars of the Earth". My recommendation is that unless you like to bruise your nose as this unweildy tome falls on your face when you fall asleep trying to get through it, skip it. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-27 01:45:27 EST)
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| 06-25-08 | 1 | 0\1 |
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After being disappointed with Pillars, I signed on to read World Without End for a book club. This recycled plot from Pillars goes on and on. The author has worn out his template. The language is full of anachronisms; the violence to women is totally unnecessary; and the cardboard characters are boring. I really don't think Follett knows his target audience. Is he appealing to lovers of historical fiction; bodice ripper romantics; contemporary women with sexual,career,family options; macho men; or voyeurs? He missed his mark with me. I will never read another Follett book ! There's too many other worthwhile books out there.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-27 01:45:27 EST)
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| 06-23-08 | 3 | 1\1 |
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I recently finished Pillars of the Earth and immediately went out for this book. Had I not read POTE before this book would have been excellent. However, it clearly felt like a rehash. Most of the characters, as others have noted, felt like "lite" versions of characters from POTE. The only one that broke the mold was Gwenda.
One thing that was extraordinarily frustrating was the convenient ups and downs. The second any of the major protagonists had a good thing happen to them, there was the church or nobility to (sometimes literally) trample on them. And the reverse is true of the villains: they always get what they want without question and inflict misery upon their subjects. It got to the point where I was able to predict exactly what was going to happen the second the initial discovery occurred. A character finds his freedom. Turn the page, and the character is being led back to his village with a rope around his neck. A villain is sentenced to death. Turn the page, and he's being pardoned and rewarded. A protagonist is going to get married to the man of her dreams. Turn the page, and she's being indicted for witchcraft and forced to become a nun. On one hand, conflict is an inescapable part of life. However, at the same time, you take a step back and realize you've got 600 more pages of the righteous getting stepped on and the villainous getting rewarded. Also, just like Pillars of the Earth, each villain's end is never satisfying considering the decades of evil they've wrought upon the good people. Imagine if Adolf Hitler had survived WWII. After all that destruction - the holocaust, the war crimes, the devastation of Europe - would anyone be satisfied just seeing him hanged? No pain. No suffering. 1 second fine, the next, he's dead. With a villain like that, I want to see him suffer slowly, cognizant that he's been defeated and broken by those he felt were inferior. That's how I felt about the villains here and in POTE. Their ends were too quick and clean. They met their end still thinking they were right, having never learned their lesson. Above all, this book made me despise the Church. It really shows how gullible people can be led to believe anything. I'm not talking necessarily about faith in God, but in the constant theme throughout the book of clergymen using "God's will" for their own advancement. Every time the monks ran away from the plague and left the town to fend for themselves, they somehow managed to convince people that they were not blatant cowards. Every time a character developed a new medicinal treatment, the clergy would resort to ill-begotten traditional methods (Goat's dung? On an open wound?). It really showed the Church for what it is: a man-made creation devised in God's name but destined to serve man's ambition. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-26 03:21:25 EST)
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| 06-17-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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If you are looking for a good book to take on a trip, WWE and Pillars of the Earth, are good choices. Neither book is true historical fiction, the language is not necessarily true to the times, and sometimes the books just kind of drift along (especially WWE), but both fit squarely in the "good read, not memorable" category & I recommend them to everyone. Check them out from your library if you don't want to commit to a purchase.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-23 02:11:34 EST)
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| 06-17-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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After reading The Pillars of the Earth, I did not think a sequel could possibly come close to it. I am so wrong! World Without End was equal to the fascinating story told in The Pillars of the Earth. Ken Follett is a phenomenal writer.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-23 02:11:34 EST)
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| 06-16-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This is a great read. It is one of those books that you can't put down. The ordering experience was great and i recieved the book very quickly.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-23 02:11:34 EST)
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Amazon.com: What a phenomenon The Pillars of the Earth has become. It was a bestseller when it was published in 1989, but it's only gained in popularity since then--it's the kind of book that people are incredibly passionate about. What has it been like to see it grow an audience like that?